First Round Matchup Set: Knicks vs Pistons

[MrDollarBills]

Every Melo gamethread

What did I do in life to deserve this

I'm gonna throw you a bone, I just made this and planned to use this on you at some point, but instead I will give it to you as a gift.

Memo to the forum:

We have 4 more days of this until the series starts.

God help us all.

[MrDollarBills]

I'm in literal tears over Blackface Tom™ memes. I don't even know if I should be laughing at this or channeling my inner hotep and telling buzz and NoDope to be better Jesus

[MrDollarBills]

Every Melo gamethread

What did I do in life to deserve this

the most

melo please reflect on your actions during the course of the season that has led us to this moment.

Self assessments and accountability is the only way we as a collective group can grow from this unfortunate situation.

[ctorres]

Read on Twitter

night 1 of wrestlemania

Matches for Night 1 of Wrestlemania

• Roman Reigns vs. CM Punk (w/ Paul Heyman) vs. Seth Rollins

• Tiffany Stratton (c) vs. Charlotte Flair for the WWE Women’s championship

• Gunther (c) vs. Jey Uso for the WWE World Heavyweight championship

• LA Knight (c) vs. Jacob Fatu for the United States title

• Jade Cargill vs. Naomi

• Rey Mysterio vs. El Grande Americano

• The War Raiders (Ivar & Erik) (c) vs. The New Day (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods) for the WWE World Tag Team championship

Reigns/Punk/Rollins: I really wanna see if Heyman turns on both Reigns and Punk and sides with Rollins at the end

Gunther/Uso: I want Jey to win, but I'm worried about Gunther losing his aura. It was bad enough he had to lose to Sami Zayn last year. Seeing Jey with a world championship while Reigns is without one is easily a great story.

Knight/Fatu: I love both these guys, but I'll be more bummed if Knight loses. Hopefully there are plans that ensure both these guys remain over.

New Day/War Raiders: I've never been invested in anything War Raiders do. They're big dudes who can really go in the ring, but New Day can still go in the ring and at least they have personality.

Stratton/Flair: Flair flopped big time in the build up for her match and I'm a big fan of her. Stratton is really interesting and carries herself like a vet.

Jade/Naomi: hoping this one doesn't flop

Rey/Grande Americano: Rey is still great in the ring, but I'm bored with his story and LWO.

[Chanel Bomber]

I see this series unfolding in a comparable way to the 2013 Pacers series, even as the Pistons are less talented than the old Pacers.

Whoever wins game 1 wins the series, with the home team winning every remaining home game.

Knicks have the clear edge in talent but Detroit have the momentum and seem more united. Hopefully Thibs can rally the troops ahead of Saturday and get them mentally ready for a strong playoff run.

The pistons went 2-6 in their last 8 games (granted one of the 2 was against the Knicks but we also had multiple players resting) so idk how much momentum they have really.

Meanwhile the bucks came in on an 8 game win streak so maybe it’s good they have Indiana

Thanks for pointing this out Sir. I was referring to the teams' respective records and performance since the All-Star break. The fact that they defied all the odds by making the playoffs to begin with also has to generate some momentum in my opinion. But perhaps momentum wasn't the right choice of words in light of their record in the last 8 games.

Brunson also missed a big chunk of games in that stretch to be fair, but I also don't expect him to be 100%.

I think we are the better team on paper but it's hard to tell what the group's psyche will be going into the playoffs. The Pistons are hungry and united. The Knicks, based on some of the reports and even Realgm poster accounts of watching the bench at the arena, seem more divided. Hopefully they can take the week to regroup.

[Chanel Bomber]

Every Melo gamethread

What did I do in life to deserve this

I'm gonna throw you a bone, I just made this and planned to use this on you at some point, but instead I will give it to you as a gift.

This board

[aromeoj]

Ban anyone who has voted for Pistons in this series...Please and Thank you!

[MrDollarBills]

Read on Twitter

night 1 of wrestlemania

Matches for Night 1 of Wrestlemania

• Roman Reigns vs. CM Punk (w/ Paul Heyman) vs. Seth Rollins

• Tiffany Stratton (c) vs. Charlotte Flair for the WWE Women’s championship

• Gunther (c) vs. Jey Uso for the WWE World Heavyweight championship

• LA Knight (c) vs. Jacob Fatu for the United States title

• Jade Cargill vs. Naomi

• Rey Mysterio vs. El Grande Americano

• The War Raiders (Ivar & Erik) (c) vs. The New Day (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods) for the WWE World Tag Team championship

Reigns/Punk/Rollins: I really wanna see if Heyman turns on both Reigns and Punk and sides with Rollins at the end

Gunther/Uso: I want Jey to win, but I'm worried about Gunther losing his aura. It was bad enough he had to lose to Sami Zayn last year. Seeing Jey with a world championship while Reigns is without one is easily a great story.

Knight/Fatu: I love both these guys, but I'll be more bummed if Knight loses. Hopefully there are plans that ensure both these guys remain over.

New Day/War Raiders: I've never been invested in anything War Raiders do. They're big dudes who can really go in the ring, but New Day can still go in the ring and at least they have personality.

Stratton/Flair: Flair flopped big time in the build up for her match and I'm a big fan of her. Stratton is really interesting and carries herself like a vet.

Jade/Naomi: hoping this one doesn't flop

Rey/Grande Americano: Rey is still great in the ring, but I'm bored with his story and LWO.

I might watch Jade Cargill vs Naomi because they are both stunning. Naomi is totally my kinda gal

Stratton vs Flair has my interest because of the alleged real beef between the two but if it doesn't devolve into a shoot where they're working stiff then I'll pass.

Either way, no Liv Morgan on night 1 means I'll be watching the playoff game

[Jeff Van Gully]

I'm in literal tears over Blackface Tom™ memes. I don't even know if I should be laughing at this or channeling my inner hotep and telling buzz and NoDope to be better Jesus

**** def ain't right

[MrDollarBills]

Big Perk is on ESPN radio with Hahn talking about the Knicks and he's echoing a lot of what we have been saying on here regarding drop coverage and how Mikal is being used, and he's arguably been one of the talking heads who has been positive about the club.

The national media is going to rip Tom to shreds. It's not a matter of if. Perk loves Tom and if he's saying it, it's gonna get worse if this playoff run is putrid.

[MrDollarBills]

I'm in literal tears over Blackface Tom™ memes. I don't even know if I should be laughing at this or channeling my inner hotep and telling buzz and NoDope to be better Jesus

**** def ain't right

Be better yall. Be better!!!!

[K_ick_God]

Pistons scored at will at MSG. Experience does matter in the playoffs but I think Pistons in 7.

[K_ick_God]

Knicks could save themselves and maybe the NBA by committing flagrant fouls in the playoffs — but all I am really saying is to not worry about getting them called on them, which is a terrible and really nonsensical way to play or for the league to operate. Especially early in a game, play with reckless abandon that is clean and highly aggressive.

The rules are so tight anyway, so what do they have to lose? You can get a flagrant for doing nothing, so might as well play hard and not worry about it. Not saying you EVER play to hurt anybody EVER but you play to make sure you compete, which means physical defense and hard closeouts. Play like the old Knicks.

The NBA could use the old NBA. The game is stiflingly boring.

Plus if a team knows its defense is subpar or they are back on their heels, the only way to play is with extra aggression. This is a major competition. Getting yourself going is part of any good preparation.

The NBA is a contact sport. Rules can't make you stop competing can they? Play to compete. You can't take contact and competition out of a sport like this without said sport dying. If someone, a player or a person who writes these rules, wants to eliminate contact, they should go participate in tennis. Or if they want something daring without contact, go ride bobsleds.

Basketball is a contact sport. Too much contact and there's a foul. Them's the rules. That is the sport. Anything else is a distortion and a failure.

[TheGreenArrow]

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?s=46&t=W09F6FrMDfp5_y1gKYgF1g

Ian saying pretty much everybody’s on the hot seat from the players, coaches and even the Fo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The stakes are high Folkssssssssss the Stakesss are High!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[The KnicksFix]

Knicks in six
If we win the first two at home, Knicks in 5
It’s not that hard to see what we need to do, play Mitch, bench Hart, OG on Cade, stop Beasley from shooting threes.

[Buttah304]

Live look at Tom inserting the duo of Hart & Achiuwa because “this time teams will pay”

[K_ick_God]

As an important collorary, put away the nonstop bitching at the refs.

Whining is not a strategy. Being a petulant baby just makes you an even bigger soft loser lol.

Go out there, commit fouls by aggression, and stop worrying about the refs. The refs are a) totally biased against the Knicks and b) following what was communicated to them.

Don't get caught up in a) and b). Just play like a winner and walk to the box when the foul is called.

Stop bitching about petty contact. Just play like a grown man and if they toss you out, don't let that bother you either.

Bitching about these biased calls just makes you look like a bigger baby and gives your opponent energy. Play defense and leave it all on the court. Don't let booing or whatever bother you either. Focus, play hard, and then you will acquit yourself -- even if you lose.

My Lord, the softness is so lame. I'd rather see the Knicks play with four guys because the NBA fouls them out on clean, hard plays than watch them look dumbfounded and whine to the refs all game long. How is that entertaining by the way?

[Iron Mantis]

My Knicks make it past the 2nd round of the playoffs.....

Thibs gets the axe if they don't....

Win/win

[thebuzzardman]

Mike B fired by Suns.

Knicks hire Aged Type A Maniac #2?

[stuporman]

There are definitely some of you who want the Knicks to lose this series because you are a fan more of your opinion or agenda than you are the Knicks and that is a miserable state to be.